Vol. 14, #2, March 2005

 

BOARD MEETING REPORT

The Board elects its officers at the January Board meeting and did so again this year. Cindy Bond was elected President, Barbara Nowak was elected Vice-President, Roy Gritter was re-elected as Secretary and Laurel Anderson was re-elected as Treasurer.
Salvatore (Sal) Pagliaro was appointed to the Board for one year by the Board. Only the Association can elect a Board Member for the normal two years. Sal, who was a member of the Friends, saw the request for Board Members in the November Newsletter, attended the December Board Meeting and the Association Meeting. Based on what he experienced at those meetings he indicated his willingness to serve.
With the changes in the City government, the Board plans to schedule meetings with Mayor Hannemann and Lester Chang, the replacement for Bill Balfour as Parks & Recreation Director so that they realize the goals and function of the FOHB. With Councilmember Charles Djou as the new Parks Committee Chair of the City Council, the Board has a "Friend" in that position.

Remember, any FOHB member or potential member is welcome at any Board meeting on the first Tuesday of the month at TransPacific Hawaii College at 5:45 pm.

At the March Board Meeting the 2005 Budget was approved that had an expected INCOME of $5,150 and projected EXPENSES of $5,084. Included in the expenses is a Grant to the HBEP of $500 for a special gift for their Volunteers at their Annual Appreciation Party and a possible Grant of up to $500 for research on the Bay. More on the second Grant in subsequent Newsletters.
President Cindy Bond has a March 11 meeting with the new Parks Director, Lester Chang, to inform him of the Board's interest in the Bay and especially the handling of the H.B. Fund. She will also give him a letter that describes the situation at the Bay with the illegal tours.
The Board has a Committee in place to provide suggestions to Alan Hong on the new Bay Management Plan.

A beautiful "ceremony" on Saturday, March 5 honored Chuck and Carol Harms for their amazing volunteer work on the landscape at the Bay. A number of Board Members and Bay Staffers joined in this ceremony for these modest heros, which was sponsored by the Bay and supported by the FOHB. The focus of the honor was the "unveiling" of a new large bench for the beach and has a plaque on the back reading: This bench stands as a symbol of sincere gratitude for Chuck and Carol Harms of Illinois, volunteers who have shown their aloha for Hanauma Bay by spending years tirelessly planting and tending the landscape in this area.

For everyone's information, the Harms have for over 25 years spent almost every day for over three months while in Hawaii replacing weeds with plants and grass by the beach. Their work predates the formation of the Friends and also Alan Hong's management of the Bay.

While the FOHB's Board had approved funding for the bench, generous anonymous supporters covered the cost.

DOWN and OUT

Been down (an out) for the last couple of weeks with a bad back. Happened when I turned to put a 3-oz dish in the dishwasher. The lower back sent me a wake-up-call in the form of an intense shot of pain and I found myself walking at a rakish 30-degree tilt from the waist up! After 17 days, I'm now down to about 6.5-degrees according to my 50-cent protractor.

Well, this got me thinking about our piscine friends in the Bay. How do they survive without the aid of modern medicine, modern pain meds and physical therapy, not to mention Blue Cross or Blue Shield! What happens when THEY throw out their back or slip a disk? Who functions as their General Practioner? I gotta believe that their only option is an office visit to the Surgeonfish! But which one?

We have several varieties of these specialists in the Bay. There's the Whitebar and Whitspotted. Maybe they specialize in allergies or dermatology! The Yellowfin could be working on jaundice problems and the Bluelined might specialize on varicose veins! The Goldring has that neat gold ring around its eye. Maybe he's the one to see with vision problems! Then there's the Surgeonfish 'cousins,' like the Unicornfish. The Orangespine would likely be the ones to see with back problems.

The Bluespine, the one with the tapered bony horn extending from his forehead, would likely function as the proctologist! Another cousin, the Convict Tang, might work with those who are 'doing time' Then again, maybe there are no needs at all for piscine medical assistance. When these critters have debilitating medical problems, there's always someone just a bit higher on the food chain, looking for an easy score, who will be happy to take their minds off of their medical problems, PERMANENTLY! dumph Da Dumph Da Dumph Da! Well, it's on that somber note that I've just convinced myself to stay outta the water till I heal. I'm sure I've dropped several rungs on the food chair ladder and don't want to be taken for an 'easy score.' Oh yeah, anyone wanna buy a 64 piece setting of Melmac dishes? I'm switching to light weight paper plates!
Aloha, as always, Larry Winnik

As a reminder, Larry Winnik has produced a CD with 176 of his best pictures of the marine life of the Bay. It can be purchased at the Gift Shop at the Bay or via the FOHB Website. The FOHB receives a dollar for each one that he sells.

The HBEP and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary are co-sponsoring a Community Fair - Malama i Ke Kai (Caring for Our Oceans) - on Saturday, April 9 in the Education Center at the Bay from 6:00-9:00 pm. There will be guest speakers, display posters from various organizations (including the FOHB) and crafts for the kids. The featured organizations are those that do ocean conservation and take on volunteers from the community in hopes of first, educating our communities about what is going on and second, giving them ways they can get involved.

The paragraph below explains the focus of the other talks planned for April and May, the Northwest Hawaiian Islands.

3/17/05 "Marine Protected Areas in Hawaii" by Dave Gulko, Division of Aquatic Resources, DLNR.

3/24/05 "Ocean Resources, the Wave of the Future" a film produced by New Generation Productions and "Destination Midway" a film produced by Pacific Adventures and KITV.

3/31/05 "Marine Protected Areas and Community Based Management" by Alan Friedlander, Oceanic Institute.

Thursday April 7th - Ricky Grigg or Frank Parrish will be on hand to
speak about "An introduction to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands".
Note the speaker still needs to be confirmed so if you can post it as
the speaker is to be announced we would appreciate it.

Thursday April 14th - We will be showing a film titled "In the Wake of
Canoes". Malia Chow or Gerard Dinardo will be on hand to introduce
the film and entertain any questions afterwards.

Thursday April 21st - Andy Collins of the Northwestern Hawaiian
Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve will be on hand to present
on "Building the Second Largest Marine Protected Area in the World".

Thursday April 28th - Andy Collins, Bonnie Kahapea, and Naalehu
Anthony will be on hand to talk on "Bringing the Place to the People:
Educational Programming from Research Vessels at Sea".

Please update your lists accordingly. Note these events are offered
free to the public and start at 6:30pm.

Even if you do not know the specific topic and/or speaker, come anyway, for the HBEP Staff is sure you will enjoy the evening.

Remember: talks/FILMS are in the Bay Ed. Center THEATER - Thursdays/6:30 pm.


NANAMOANA is published bimonthly by the Friends of Hanauma Bay,
100 Hanauma Bay Road, Honolulu, HI 96825
Roy Gritter, Editor.